How often do REITs pay you?
REITs and stocks can both pay dividends, usually on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis. Some investments will also offer special dividends, but they're unpredictable. There is a difference between the dividends paid by stocks and REITs though.
REITs and stocks can both pay dividends, usually on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis. Some investments will also offer special dividends, but they're unpredictable. There is a difference between the dividends paid by stocks and REITs though.
As of August 31, 2022 publicly traded U.S. equity REITs posted a one-year average dividend yield of 2.91 percent. The health care REIT sector recorded the highest one-year average dividend yield among this group, at 4.26 percent, outperforming the broader Dow Jones Equity All REIT Index by 1.35 percentage points.
To qualify as a REIT, a company must have the bulk of its assets and income connected to real estate investment and must distribute at least 90 percent of its taxable income to shareholders annually in the form of dividends.
REITs' average return
Return a minimum of 90% of taxable income in the form of shareholder dividends each year. This is a big draw for investor interest in REITs. Invest at least 75% of total assets in real estate or cash.
| Ticker | Name | Dividend Yield |
|---|---|---|
| EARN | Ellington Residential Mortgage REIT | 16.10% |
| AGNC | AGNC Investment | 15.05% |
| ARR | ARMOUR Residential REIT | 14.91% |
| EFC | Ellington Financial | 14.68% |
REIT dividends can be a great source of passive income, but the money you receive is subject to your ordinary income tax rate, which will depend on your tax bracket. And because dividends are paid out regularly, you'll have to pay taxes on the income each year, even if you reinvest your dividends.
- What dividends and REITs are.
- ARMOUR Residential REIT – 20.7%
- Orchid Island Capital – 17.8%
- AGNC Investment – 14.8%
- Oxford Square Capital – 13.7%
- Ellington Residential Mortgage REIT – 13.2%
- SLR Investment – 11.5%
- PennantPark Floating Rate Capital – 10%
In most cases, REITs utilize a combination of debt and equity to purchase a property. As such, they are more sensitive than other asset classes to changes in interest rates., particularly those that use variable rate debt. When interest rates rise, REITs share prices can be prone to volatility.
| REIT | Forward dividend yield |
|---|---|
| Blackstone Mortgage Trust Inc. (BXMT) | 12.1% |
| KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc. (KREF) | 13.5% |
| Easterly Government Properties Inc. (DEA) | 8.3% |
| Realty Income Corp. (O) | 5.5% |
What is a good amount to invest on a REIT?
According to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (Nareit), non-traded REITs typically require a minimum investment of $1,000 to $2,500.
REIT Distributions
While some stocks distribute dividends on a quarterly or annual basis, certain REITs pay quarterly or monthly. That can be an advantage for investors, whether the money is used for enhancing income or for reinvestment, especially since more frequent payments compound faster.
Investors can benefit from allocating as little as 5% to REITs. Investor confidence in real estate reached unprecedented levels in 2022, owing to home price appreciation and higher yields for other asset classes, such as REITs, in low-rate environments.
But since REITs are invested in property, there's more protection against the horror show of having shares crash to $0. By law, 75% of a REITs asset must be invested in real estate. The market value of the property owned by the REIT offers a bit of protection, as long as the value of the property doesn't go to zero.
Share prices for US real estate investment trust stocks jumped in the fourth quarter of 2023, outperforming the broader market. The Dow Jones Equity All REIT Index closed the quarter with a 17.9% total return, while the S&P 500 logged an 11.7% return for the quarter.
With rate cuts on the line in the coming year, dividend yields for REITs are likely to be on the attractive side compared with the yields on fixed-income and money-market accounts. This will make REITs desirable to investors.
Dividend-paying Stocks
Shares of public companies that split profits with shareholders by paying cash dividends yield between 2% and 6% a year. With that in mind, putting $250,000 into low-yielding dividend stocks or $83,333 into high-yielding shares will get your $500 a month.
However, our review of REIT balance sheets and debt suggests that REITs are well-positioned for economic uncertainty in 2023 because of their strong balance sheets. They are entering the new year with leverage near historical lows, and well-termed, mostly fixed-rate debt and very low current interest expense.
As referenced earlier, you can purchase shares in a REIT that's listed on major stock exchanges. You can also buy shares in a REIT mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF). To do so, you must open a brokerage account. Or, if your workplace retirement plan offers REIT investments, you might invest with that option.
A potential drawback of purchasing non-traded REITs are the high up-front fees. Investors can expect to pay fees, which include commission and fees, between 9 and 10% of the entire investment.
What are the downsides of REITs?
Here are some of the main disadvantages of investing in a REIT. Market volatility: Value can fluctuate based on economic and market conditions. Interest rate risk: Changes in interest rates can affect the value of a REIT.
Any increase in the short-term interest rate eats into the profit—so if it doubled in our example above, there'd be no profit left. And if it goes up even higher, the REIT loses money. All of that makes mortgage REITs extremely volatile, and their dividends are also extremely unpredictable.
Direct real estate offers more tax breaks than REIT investments, and gives investors more control over decision making. Many REITs are publicly traded on exchanges, so they're easier to buy and sell than traditional real estate.
| Stock | Market capitalization | Dividend yield |
|---|---|---|
| Cross Timbers Royalty Trust (CRT) | $104 million | 11.1% |
| Dynex Capital Inc. (DX) | $726 million | 12.2% |
| Horizon Technology Finance Corp. (HRZN) | $454 million | 9.7% |
| Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT) | $660 million | 4.2% |
However, there are a number of assets that pay income on a monthly basis. Options include savings accounts, certificates of deposit, annuities, bonds, dividend stocks, rental real estate and more.
